Alexi Giannoulias on Government Reform

I streamlined & cut Treasurer's Office staff by 17%

Q: To what extent is the Federal Government responsible, if at all, for bailing out virtually bankrupt states like Illinois?

KIRK: The economic situation for our state is terrible. [We should] return fiscal responsibility without someone bailing out
even more irresponsible decisions led by the current team that runs the State of Illinois, including my opponent.

GIANNOULIAS: We've got some enormous challenges here in Illinois. I've been screaming from the rooftops as State Treasurer. We talked abou
pension reform from the very beginning. Unlike Congressman Kirk who has doubled our national debt, we've actually found ways to cut our discretionary spending when needed. We've streamlined services in the State Treasurer's Office. I've cut my workforce
by 17%. Congressman Kirk proudly said he voted twice for bailouts of the biggest Wall Street banks. But voted against the Recovery Act, which provides emergency stimulus and funding to states and municipalities that have been devastated.

Voice for the people, not the corporate special interests

In Washington I will be a voice for the people of Illinois who are struggling to find a job, to pay their mortgage, and to send their kids to college, not the corporate special interests who are working around-the-clock to derail
commonsense reform. I am proud to be the first candidate for Senate in Illinois to refuse contributions from corporate PACs and federal lobbyists. I won't take their money, and I won't vote their way.

Source: Democracy For America 2010 endorsements
Aug 12, 2010

Public election financing reduces special interest influence

Alexi will take bold action to clean up our campaign process & to ensure that Congress is committed to citizens, not its largest campaign contributors:

Alexi is the first US Senate candidate in Illinois history to refuse campaign contributions fro
federal lobbyists & corporate PACs.

Alexi supports making government more transparent. He firmly believes that an open government will help restore the public's trust in elected officials & make it easier for taxpayers to hold leaders accountable.

Alexi would spearhead the effort to create a public "contracts and influence" database, to track campaign contributions made by government contractors and the services they provide.

Alexi will work to dramatically increase lobbyist disclosure
requirements.

Across the country, states and local governments have implemented publicly financed campaigns. Public financing of elections limits runaway spending and reduces the influence of special interest money in the campaign process.

Wasteful programs go hand-in-hand with campaign contributors

Our campaign finance system is broken. While the campaign coffers of D.C. politicians are flush with corporate cash, Americans have seen their health care costs double, and their jobs shipped overseas. It's the most open secret in Washington: pay-to-play
politics, sweetheart deals and wasteful programs often go hand-in-hand with deep-pocketed campaign contributors. Alexi's very first action as Illinois State Treasurer was to sign the strongest ethics order in state government.